Cost of Living Comparison Between Krabi and Chiang Mai Cost of Living Comparison Between Krabi and Chiang Mai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,001 per month in Krabi vs $866 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,452 per month in Krabi vs $1,351 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,903 per month in Krabi vs $1,835 in Chiang Mai, rent included.

Krabi costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Krabi and Chiang Mai are more affordable than the global median – Krabi 25% lower, Chiang Mai 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ฿102

$1.94 ฿63.5

60.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.63 ฿804

$18.64 ฿609

32.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.03 ฿197

$7.82 ฿255

-22.89%

Cappuccino

$2.67 ฿87.3

$1.95 ฿63.8

36.92%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 ฿30.88

$0.85 ฿27.77

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.98

$0.35 ฿11.58

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.13 ฿69.6

12.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ฿92.4

$3.73 ฿122

-24.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 ฿82.1

$1.71 ฿56.0

46.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 ฿80.0

$1.63 ฿53.2

50.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 ฿63.5

$1.14 ฿37.15

70.18%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿70.6

$1.93 ฿63.1

11.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$27.55 ฿900

$16.21 ฿530

69.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 ฿118

$3.12 ฿102

15.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.83 ฿256

$10.90 ฿356

-28.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 ฿80.5

$2.75 ฿90.0

-10.18%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 ฿28.91

$1.21 ฿39.52

-26.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ฿61.8

$1.62 ฿53.0

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 ฿63.6

$1.59 ฿51.8

22.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.88

$1.40 ฿45.70

7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.09

$1.17 ฿38.17

15.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 ฿48.42

$0.66 ฿21.60

124.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 ฿14.51

$0.53 ฿17.22

-16.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.69 ฿153

-22.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.98 ฿358

$18.66 ฿609

-41.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ฿55.6

$1.80 ฿58.8

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 ฿102

$3.23 ฿106

-3.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.20 ฿39.20

$0.90 ฿29.26

33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.21 ฿628

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿36.11

$1.41 ฿45.91

-21.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.77

$1.29 ฿42.12

-7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.15 ฿201

$7.84 ฿256

-21.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ฿39.19

$1.27 ฿41.58

-5.51%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$28.2K ฿921.3K

$21.3K ฿694.9K

32.58%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.9K ฿912.0K

$22.2K ฿725.4K

25.72%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$43.78 ฿1,430

$69.1 ฿2,256

-36.62%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$12.83 ฿419

$14.08 ฿460

-8.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.96 ฿913

$18.00 ฿588

55.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.95 ฿1,338

$41.06 ฿1,341

-0.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.26 ฿400

$6.96 ฿227

76.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ฿222

$5.92 ฿193

14.53%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$213 ฿6,951

$299 ฿9,766

-28.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,852 ฿256.4K

$15.0K ฿488.3K

-47.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.98 ฿1,077

$54.7 ฿1,787

-39.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.73 ฿1,134

$26.77 ฿874

29.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 ฿3,528

$85.0 ฿2,776

27.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.3 ฿2,491

$70.6 ฿2,306

8.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 ฿16.3K

$428 ฿14.0K

16.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 ฿12.1K

$237 ฿7,752

56.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 ฿19.5K

$801 ฿26.2K

-25.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿14.5K

$515 ฿16.8K

-13.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,212 ฿39.6K

$1,975 ฿64.5K

-38.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,070 ฿35.0K

$1,475 ฿48.2K

-27.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$732 ฿23.9K

$617 ฿20.2K

18.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

9.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Krabi: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chiang Mai: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $498 in Krabi versus $428 in Chiang Mai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 19% higher in Krabi, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Krabi versus $19.00 in Chiang Mai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $280 vs $246 – making Chiang Mai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Krabi vs Chiang Mai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Krabi costs about 16% more than Chiang Mai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,502 per month in Krabi and $1,300 in Chiang Mai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chiang Mai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Krabi and $19.00 in Chiang Mai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Krabi, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chiang Mai, where all-in costs run around $866, than in Krabi at $1,001. In Chiang Mai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Krabi it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chiang Mai costs $866 versus $1,001 in Krabi. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chiang Mai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Krabi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.